Building New System From Ground Up

[Chardler 0]

I'm in the beginning stages of building a new CCTV system for the home and need all the equipment...cameras, DVR, power box, etc. So far I have started running the cables from the location of the DVR to the outside camera locations using CAT 5 cable (just because I already had over 1k ft on a reel already).

I joined the forum in hopes of learing more information before buying anything.

BUT, my first question to anyone knowlegeable...Is it OK to use CAT 5 for all my cabling needs? I intend on buying the CAT5 to BNC balun connectors to make the conversion at the ends (or should I not do this?)

 

PLEASE HELP!!

[VST_Man 1]

yes you can use video baluns.....just be sure of your available space in hiding the cables......it can get pretty tight in some install locations.

 

But, are you using analog camera's only? Or planning a IP cam system down the road.or hybrid?

 

I still ike to use RG59 siamese where I can since the pic is a bit clearer than baluns....IMHO

 

IP cams are the next step up as long as you engineer the network to handle the bandwidth...........

[CCTV_Suppliers 0]

Good choice on your selection of the cable and you are on the right track in your decision to use CAT5e cable for your entire system. Running all your runs using this cable takes care of your present and future cable needs. This way you can use analog cameras today using video baluns and later when the pricing of IP cameras stabilize and become more acceptable price range, the you can remove the video baluns and install Ethernet connectors and you are ready to rock and roll...

 

This process eliminates any future costs of cable and labor to adhere to IP technology based equipment. Since it comes with several extra pairs of cables, it will allow to switch such pairs if for whatever reasons something goes wrong with existing pair...

 

Choose your centralized equipment (DVR, monitor, power supply) location carefully. This way the installation of the present equipment and even conversion to future equipment will be much simpler and easier.

 

Have you decided which cameras and DVR you may be using?

[Chardler 0]

Thanks for your responses, I'm learning as I go. Not exactly the way I like to do things, but with some help here I'm sure I can get something working to my satisfaction.

 

I'm an engineer with Verizon and a former Central Office equipment installer, so the installation and wiring should not be a problem, I just need to figure out how to navigate through all the different equipment and brands and what would be best for me.

 

 

No, I have not settled on a DVR, camera or power supply box yet, so any help would be GREATLY appreciated. I would like an 8 or 9 channel DVR (not sure why they make an 8 AND 9, what's the diff?)

 

There are so may cameras out there I have no idea which are junk or not except to go by the price and that's no a precise reference source, any ideas?

[Soundy 1]

No, I have not settled on a DVR, camera or power supply box yet, so any help would be GREATLY appreciated. I would like an 8 or 9 channel DVR (not sure why they make an 8 AND 9, what's the diff?)

 

From my experience, 8-channel systems are usually PC-based, while standalone systems tend to go in 4/9/16-channel steps. I can only guess at why, but my suspicious is this:

 

Many (most?) standalone DVR designs appear to be built off multiplexor designs (and why not, since most incorporate mux function as well), where 4, 9 and 16 cameras are "round numbers" for 2x2, 3x3, and 4x4 split-screen grids. So it would make sense to adhere to that design standard.

 

As for PCs, it seems most cards are 4, 8, 16, or 32-channel designs, which may be based on multi-encoder A/D chips used for the capture cards - if you have two or four encoders on a single chip, it makes sense to build cards with multiples of two or four inputs.

 

There are so may cameras out there I have no idea which are junk or not except to go by the price and that's no a precise reference source, any ideas?

 

Right now, for analog we're using mostly Pelco cameras - C3701/3751 models for "box" cameras, IS-90s for indoor domes, and IS-110/ICS-111 outdoor domes. This is due more to those being spec'd by our largest client, but we use them for other sites as well. They have some particularly annoying design aspects that make them more of a pain to install and setup than they should be, but the image quality is good.

 

We've also regularly used a variety of Panasonic, National Electronics, and Capture cameras, and they've all generally been solid performers.

 

There's also a brand of dome we've been using, I can't recall off the top of my head what they are... GNB or something like that, I think... they're low-cost and *fantastic* image quality, in a lot of cases better than name-brand cameras costing twice as much. They're really well designed, easy to install and adjust, full range of adjustments through three axes. If I remember, I'll look them up when I get to work later.

 

For IP cams, all we've used so far is IQEye units, mainly IQ-511s, and the odd IQ-A11 dome where a dome is called for.